When you're reading and a character says or does something that's opposite (contradicts) what he has been saying or doing all along, or that's opposite of what you would expect someone to do, stop and ask yourself:
"Why is the character doing that?"
The answer could help you make a prediction or make an inference about the plot and conflict.
Bone: Quest for the Spark Book 1 , p. 87 - "Sorry, but you must be mistaken. I'm just the son of a turnip farmer."
Loser , by Jerry Spinelli p. 48 - Donald wants to give Andrew his soccer trophy.
Loser , by Jerry Spinelli p. 69 Donald is friendly and smiles even after the mean kid made fun of him when he was delivering the mail.
The Outsiders , by S.E. Hinton p. 4 - "I'm supposed to be smart, but I don't use my head." p. 28 - "Two-Bit grinned because Johnny didn't usually get sassy like that." p. 80 - "I never thought I'd see the day I'd be glad to see Dally Winston." p. 87 - "That was quite a speech for Johnny." p. 90 - "Dally never talked like that." p. 92 - "Johnny wasn't behaving at all like his old self." p. 116 - A Soc seeks out a Greaser to talk p. 171 - "You really would have used that bottle, wouldn't you.
CONTRASTS AND CONTRADICTIONS
When you're reading and a character says or does something that's opposite (contradicts) what he has been saying or doing all along, or that's opposite of what you would expect someone to do, stop and ask yourself:
"Why is the character doing that?"
The answer could help you make a prediction or make an inference about the plot and conflict.
Bone: Quest for the Spark Book 1 , p. 87 - "Sorry, but you must be mistaken. I'm just the son of a turnip farmer."
Loser , by Jerry Spinelli p. 48 - Donald wants to give Andrew his soccer trophy.
Loser , by Jerry Spinelli p. 69 Donald is friendly and smiles even after the mean kid made fun of him when he was delivering the mail.
The Outsiders , by S.E. Hinton
p. 4 - "I'm supposed to be smart, but I don't use my head."
p. 28 - "Two-Bit grinned because Johnny didn't usually get sassy like that."
p. 80 - "I never thought I'd see the day I'd be glad to see Dally Winston."
p. 87 - "That was quite a speech for Johnny."
p. 90 - "Dally never talked like that."
p. 92 - "Johnny wasn't behaving at all like his old self."
p. 116 - A Soc seeks out a Greaser to talk
p. 171 - "You really would have used that bottle, wouldn't you.